The United States Navy is looking into adding 28 additional Raytheon Tomahawk missiles to every one of the branch’s Virginia-class submarines. The production of the dubbed Virginia Payload Modules (VPM) onto the Block V submarines is planned to be completed by 2019. This move will add a new section of missile tubes to the submarines along with an increase firepower ability of Tomahawk missiles from 12 units to 40 units.There is currently an evaluation going on to analyze the practicality of adding the VPM ahead of the current schedule. A decision of expediting is expected to be made in April or May. A 70-foot module for the Virginia-class submarines is currently being worked and designed by Navy engineers. Read more >>

On March 16, 2015, the power generation and government service company Babcock & Wilcox announced that their Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. subsidiary will supply their products and services to the United States Department of Energy. Valued at USD$169 million, this contract was granted by the U.S Department of Energy, Naval Reactors Laboratory Field Office and is an extension of the original $302 million contract that Babcock & Wilcox announced in 2014.The contract calls for Babcock & Wilcox to manufacture and deliver fuel and support activities for the U.S Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. The Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program provides militarily effective nuclear propulsion plants and guarantees their safe, dependable, and prolonged operation. In addition, the company will also provide their products and services for future Naval Reactors programs. Work will start at Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. in Erwin, Tennessee in January 2015 and is expected to be completed in February 2016.Babcock & Wilcox is a United States-based company that designs, engineers, manufactures, constructs, and provides facilities management services. Read more >>

United States Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced they will christen their future Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer (DDG 119) the USS Delbert D Black. The name of the warship is meant to honor Delbert Black, the inaugural Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON).He held the title from January 13, 1967 to April 1, 1971. MCPON is the highest rank one can achieve in the Navy, and it is given to the most senior enlisted member. It is similar to Sergeant Major of the Army, or Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. "In the navy, per traditional ship-naming convention, our destroyers are named after naval heroes,” said Mabus. Read more >>

In the months of March and September of 2014, the American aerospace company Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation was awarded 2 contracts valuing a total of over $109 Million in defense contracts from the U.S. Government. These two contracts alone add up to over $29 Million more than contracts received in 2013 ($80 Million).On March 26th, 2014, the United States Air Force awarded Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation a defense contract with a maximum amount of a little over $102 Million. This contract is a modification for contractor logistics, support services, and parts to C-20 and C-37 aircrafts used by the US Military which are Military spec conversions of Gulfstream Aerospace’s business jets. Read more >>

Caterpillar Inc. was created in 1925 after a merger of the Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Company. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Along with equipment and machinery, Caterpillar Inc. also sells financial products and insurances to their customers. Caterpillar’s range of products and services has enabled the company to be a Fortune 500, employ over 125,000 people, and meet yearly revenues of over $65 Billion. Caterpillar Inc.’s products include (but are not limited to) Backhoe Loaders, Cold Planers, Draglines, Hydraulic Mining Shovels, Wheel Dozers, Electric Power Generators, Marine Power Systems, and Industrial OEM engines. Their ranges of products are utilized by commercial, business, industrial, and government entities. With their machines being used in many different government contracted projects across the globe, it is very clear that Caterpillar Inc.’s influence is worldwide. Throughout recent years, Caterpillar Inc. machines have been used to help in government projects in countries such as Japan, Philippines, Brazil, Greece, China, Romania, and U.S.A. Some recent project examples include the following: Read more >>